The Coast – eye-catching architecture and eye-rolling ad copy

The Coast, a 49-story mixed-use glass tower at 345 E Wacker Dr in the Lakeshore East area of the New East Side, is slated to contain 515 apartment units, 18,000 square feet of amenities and 18,000 square feet of retail space.

The Coast’s design by bKL “in the tradition of Chicago modernism” has spawned a lot of interest and commentary, and you can sample the range of reactions in this thread at SkyscraperPage.com. The Coast is at the center of the above photo, which shows it in its surrounding context – a different view than you’re typically presented of a new building.

The Coast is likely to be the first of the new downtown apartment projects to deliver units this year. Its website is promising occupancy next month at a “personal urban beachside resort. Stroll home from work, kick off your shoes and roll-up your pants. Experience a coastal retreat on the shores of Lake Michigan.” Beachside? The copy moved me to roll my eyes.